France extends internal border controls until April 2025; What travellers to Schengen area need to know
France has announced its decision to maintain internal border controls until April 30, 2025, due to heightened terrorist threats and concerns over irregular migration. The French authorities formally notified the European Commission that border controls with neighboring Schengen countries—Belgium, Spain, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Germany, and Italy—will not conclude on October 31, 2024, as initially scheduled.
The extension follows the country's ongoing concerns over public safety. France's current border control measures will end on October 31, 2024, and a new set of controls will take effect from November 1, 2024. The decision comes amid threats related to terrorist activities, the presence of criminal networks involved in illegal migration, and migration flows that could potentially include radicalized individuals.
Reasons Behind the Extension
French officials pointed to irregular crossings along the Channel and North Sea as part of the motivation behind this move. Additionally, rising incidents of violence among migrant communities in northern areas such as Dunkirk and Calais have been cited as key concerns, impacting both migrants and law enforcement personnel.
This decision marks nearly a decade of such controls in France. Initially introduced in December 2015 following the Paris terrorist attacks, border controls have been repeatedly extended under different circumstances, including the recent Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Since 2015, France has informed the European Commission of nearly 20
